White Clouds
by Prontoon
Summary: On days when the moon cast a shadow over the sky, and the insects buzzed through the night, Byleth wept. In which Byleth wakes up in someplace else as someone else.
1. Someplace Else

**I.**

On days when the moon cast a shadow over the sky, and the insects buzzed through the night, Byleth wept. She wept for not only the world she once loved, but for the one she forced to reside in. She wept for the parents she had lost, yet not for the ones she gained (they would never be enough).

Jeralt.

Not once did anything leave her eyes, they were as dry as when she was brought to this world. Instead, she grieved.

Jeralt.

Her maids worried; she cared not for the forlorn looks and the furrowed brows.

**II.**

Bloodied and bruised on the battlefield, Byleth had steeled her nerves for the inevitable. Exhausting the last of divine pulse, she sat there as her blood pooled beneath her body. Intermingled as one, the screams of her father and Sothis echoed throughout the battlefield. Careless. Cretin. Idiot. Yes, all appropriate insults that couldn't be denied.

For once, Byleth wished she knew how to cry. If she could, she would shed a tear for the one who showered her with love from birth. Even as a child, she could not cry, and even to her death she knew not how.

-_Princess_ _Anthiese_.

The foreign name danced on their lips, Byleth made it a note to ignore anyone who referred to her as such. Never would she respond to it, it was not her name.

-_The king is visiting; we must make you presentable._

Marie, that was the maid's name. The blue haired lady had seemingly taken delight in attending to the silent princess (wrong, that title was so wrong). Most maids had run off within the first day of meeting Byleth, citing her glass eyed stare and unmoving facial muscles. Unlike them, Marie sought to produce anything, whether it was a sound, expression or movement.

With a shake of her head in a firm refusal (how odd to see raspberry orange replace midnight blue), Byleth evaded Marie's grasp.

Father was not the words she would describe this man as. She hadn't even seen the man! With Jeralt (she felt a sting), they make it their goal to converse at least once a day. In all her tree years she had never seen the man.

Marie returned Byleth's stubbornness with a bemused sigh.

-_Princess, you must, just look! _Marie holds up a highly saturated pink dress with frills and sparkles, grinning in anticipation. _-You will look so cute! You must try it on! _The woman practically squealed.

Marie made another grab and years of being a mercenary trained Byleth for this moment.

The clothes themselves were not the problem, she cared very little for all of that, but the entire situation was. To meet a man for the first time, before being forced to call him "father" was an insult to Jeralt. She would not sully her fond memories of him as a result of associating Anthiese 's father with him. So, without hesitation she bolted for the open door, ignoring Marie's squeak of surprise.

**III.**

Out of breath, curse her fragile boy, Byleth had to find a hiding spot, at least temporarily-She looked around, found somewhere perfect and made a mad dash for the area.

_-Uwaa! _Somehow, in the sprint, she didn't notice the presence of another individual. Leaning on the strawberry side, an orange haired sobbing child (roughly 4 years older than her?) sat adjacent to her, wiping at his face furiously. His knees were brought up to his chest as his face was flushed pink. -_W-what are you-?_

When she heard footsteps descending the stairs, she put her fingers on her lips and made a shushing movement. Near instant the boy ceased all sobs obediently.

The steps grew louder, until Marie is practically breathing down Byleth's neck, but the wall between them concealed her location.

_-Anthiese_! She called out, close but not close enough. -_You don't have to wear the pink dress, there are a lot to choose from. _She whined, sounding more so her age than ever before.

Thankfully the boy made no sound and is was silent as Byleth's birth. A few shakes of her head, just to confirm the child isn't there before Marie stalked off in the opposite direction.

In thanks for his silence, Byleth offered a small "thank you" and a handkerchief to properly wipe his face clean. She makes no attempt at further conversation and simply walks in the opposite direction of Marie.


	2. Zofia

**I.**

Anthiese hadn't done anything, and that's what scared the servants the most. The bishops in charge of her delivery had originally thought she was a still born. Not a wail. Not a sneeze. Nothing. It was the sobs of the Queen that filled the silence, the effort physically wracking her fragile form.

From that moment, rumours of Anthiese's birth spread throughout the castle.

_-A child of Duma, no doubt about it._

_-She must have been sent as a bad omen from Mila._

_-A child who does not cry…perhaps she has been possessed by an evil spirit?_

Marie had never taken these rumours to heart. While, yes, she was incredibly nervous about serving the supposed child of Duma, she knew what they were. Rumours were rumours, and just that.

That was a lie, like any other teenager her age, Marie had been terribly afraid of the, then two-year-old.

**II.**

To (thankfully) no-one's knowledge, the first time Marie had seen Anthiese while she was hiding behind a pillar. Strawberry hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her albeit skinny face. Her visage, what little Marie could see, resembled that of her war-torn father's. Unnaturally mature for a two-year-old, considering her father had fought in the war for 20 years. Before worry could grasp Marie's heart, she had made eye contact with the head maid…and promptly ran away.

The second time was just as underwhelming. The older girls were difficult to talk to, so lunch was eaten in the garden, all alone. The head maid had become increasingly reluctant to serve the child and had been saddling others with her job. It wouldn't be too soon until Marie would have to do her duties while the maid spent her time doing everything **but **her job.

It was just then, in the corner of her eye, Marie noticed a tiny figure. The princess was perched on the grass, knees hugging her chest, as she stared out at the garden. There was something sombre about her expression. The way she stared at the garden was less expressionless and more so subdued. She didn't think she looked scary she just looked…sad.

The third time was purely coincidence. Sleeping at nights, in an unfamiliar location, had left her feeling solitary. It became an uncomfortable experience, as the usual nights filled with the conversations of her family had been reduced to mere whispers in the night. A walk was her solution, which coincidentally led her outside of the princess' room.

While she had expected silence (_-Gods, you wouldn't believe what I saw_ the head maid spoke _-I went in to check how the Princess was, in the middle of the night, and I found her staring at nothing. She didn't even look at_ _me as I entered her room!_), it was not what she got.

_-Father…_ At first, Marie had thought she was hearing things, but when straining her ears, she heard what had been said the second time._ -Father…_

It was coming from…Anthiese's room…

She didn't hear a wobble in her voice, or anything that would indicate her crying. Yet Marie had the feeling it was something among those lines. After all it was just the whispers of a child, longing for her father.

Marie thought, at that moment, that maybe it wasn't that she couldn't emote. It was just she didn't know how. Through her short-lived life, after her mother had died, nobody had shown her the love she truly desired. The maid had wanted to stay a little longer, possibly comfort the girl, but felt as though she would be infringing on the child's privacy.

From that moment onward, she noticed intricacies that indicated her emotions.

Her eyebrows would bend down ever so slightly when she was satisfied with something. If she was shocked, like she was about to vocalise her complaints, her top lip would open slightly. Rarely, when she got irritated, she'd scratch the back of her ear. In some sense, Marie had never not been able to read Anthiese's emotions.

**III.**

_-Marie… _A voice whispered from the void as her body was shaken.

_-Go away George._ She swatted away the hand shaking her while resisting the temptation to awake and slap her brother. He did it again, this time rougher. Again, she ignored the shake. When she refused to budge, it was the cold air that greeted her body that woke her up and the lack of a blanket.

_-Geo-!_

_-You babbling buffoon, first you lose Anthiese, then you make her wear that hideous dress, and now you don't want to wake up? _It wasn't George. It was the head maid.

It took a moment for Marie to gain her bearings. When she did, she remembered that this was not home. George wasn't here, nobody was, it was just her, therefore, George couldn't be the one waking her up.

_-Gods, took you long enough child. Get up, now._

_-What's the time?_ Marie questioned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

_-Did you not hear me?_ Her commander hissed harshly. _-Just get up and follow me._

Reluctant as she was, Marie left the warm confines of her bed. Stalking down the hall was extremely awkward. Not a single word was exchanged between the two women. Could it have possibly been the huge age gap, or their differences in opinion? Who knows…?

As the walk wanned on, Marie had begun to recognise the area. Usually the area around the princess' room was devoid of life, however today life seemed to be bustling around the area. Odd. When the head maid approached the crowd, a snarl marred her features. The crowd was quick to part.

As they entered the room, Marie took a quick glance around. There was blood. Everywhere. On the walls, on the carpet and staining the blood sheet. Fresh as well.

_-Dear Goddess…what happened here? _Looking forward, Marie received her answer.

There she was, clutching a bloodied knife. There was no tremble in her lips, her eyes did not shine with concealed excitement. For once, for the first time in her life, Marie was truly terrified. She felt that if she were on the receiving end of that glare, she would undoubtedly die from fear. She couldn't move, or talk, only stare back at the emotionless child.

_-Marie, start cleaning. _The head maid spoke before leading out Anthiese out of the room via her shoulders.

An hour later, and a lot of clearing the premises and disposing of bedsheets, Marie finally got to rest. The stench had seeped into her clothing, and she was sure her nightwear would be unwear(able) after this situation. If not for her seeing mutilated men daily, she was sure the sight of Anthiese would have had her fainting.

While few lingered around, their conversations had caught the interest of Marie.

_(__**-**__Catherine! That thing__**, **__I caught her clutching the blasted head of a man!)_

(-_She had the damned knife in her hand, god knows where she got it from.)_

_(-She didn't make a sound, if it weren't for the man's screams, we wouldn't have known…)_

Just that moment, Catherine (during the entire exchange she had finally learnt her name) had returned.

_-The princess, how is she?_ She questioned after taking rest on one of the walls.

_-She's sleeping._ Catherine replied.

_-What do you mean?_ Marie questioned slowly, inching towards Catherine.

_-I moved her to another room, she's sleeping now._

_-Aren't we going to…do anything?_

_-Like what?_

_-I don't know. _Marie laughed a little nervous. _Usually kids back at home, we'd sleep next to them during the night, in case they had nightmares._ The uncertainty in her tone made it sound more like a question than she intended.

_-Comfort her? _Catherine questioned incredulously. -_She's unstable, the worst thing we could do right now is provoke her._

-_Provoke? Gods Catherine_ (it felt good to finally stop referring to her as "head maid"), _She's a child! How would comforting her be provoking her?_

_-…a child._ Catherine paused for a long moment, so long in fact, Marie had thought the conversation was over. _-A three-year-old child killed a trained assassin, don't kid yourself. The only thing she is a demon. _

_-Don't say that_\- A loud shout startled Marie,

_-You go comfort her then! If you care so much, you sleep next to her during the night._ and quelled any further objections. _-That's what I thought._ Then they continued cleaning until the early morning.


	3. Haunting

**I.**

Physical contact and social interaction were two aspects of life that Byleth had been thoroughly inexperienced with. Throughout her life, Jeralt had been the one to haggle with store owners and negotiate missions with clientele. Anthiese was no different in the same respect. Isolated from birth, with minimal interactions with individuals, neither had any inherent charisma.

**II.**

For all the years that Catherine had to steel her heart, nothing had prepared her for the king's second child. She hadn't associated with Conrad, the first child, but she had heard rumours about his gentle (if weak) nature. Someone such as himself was unlikely to become a ruler but could possibly bring much needed change. Never had she expected his half-sister to be a few teeth short of a necklace.

_-W-What did you say…?_ Peering up at her with curiosity, at least that's what she assumed, the princess held out her hand like demanding candy and not like she had just demanded what she had.

She repeated her words again and Catherine gawked. The other maid, Marie, had been avoiding the princess as of a few days ago, and all the other maids had been more than reluctant to deal with the child after the incident, so she had been forced to perform the worst part of her job.

_-Princess…I can't_. Anthiese tilted her head, expression blank. She questioned why and Catherine was gobsmacked. _-Princess, I'm not…I can't get you a dagger_.

Again, the princess questioned _why_.

If Catherine had a spare courts length, she would love to explain to the child why her actions were beyond abnormal. Regretfully she felt like all her words would fly over the girl's head and the situation would only repeat itself.

_-It's because…_ Catherine let out a long sigh. _-Why do you want the dagger…? _

Instead of her usual short responses, the girl looked around suspiciously. She beckoned Catherine close, as though there were someone listening.

_-There's a ghost haunting me_. She spoke and left Catherine even more speechless than before. Was it possible for silence to have degrees of silence? Because if it were, Catherine would be on the intense end of it.

_-And you want to do what with the dagger?_She questioned slowly, talking to the child…like an actual child.

The little girl commented on feeling safer with a weapon around, in case the ghost appeared. She also added that she'd prefer to be prepared if she saw the ghost again. Catherine stared down at the child whose eyes were shining innocently at the thought of murdering a ghost.

_-You want to kill, _before Catherine finished her sentence, the princess had been nodding enthusiastically, face still stoic, _-a ghost?_

Catherine had corralled the child out of the room to clean her of all the filth, while washing her body, she had seen self-inflicted injuries that a child shouldn't have had. The mannerisms of the child, the grief she exuded, none of them were traits a child should exhibit.

Yet this…this was a far cry from the ashen faced demon she had seen clutching a defiled weapon a week ago. Excluding the idea of murder, she was just a child scared of a ghost.

_-How about…_ Catherine fumbled through her pockets, searching for anything. When her hand snagged a long piece of ribbon (why was that in there?) she grabbed it out and gave it to Anthiese. _-this. It'll keep the ghost away._

Intelligence wise, she didn't know where the princess stood. Whether she would fall for this would be determined by the goddess.

A few tense seconds, while turned into a minute, passed which consisted of both occupants staring at the ribbon. Just as the sweat started trickling down her face, and Catherine considered this a stupid idea, the little girl grabbed the ribbon.

A thanks left her mouth before she wandered off to who knows where.

**III.**

_**-**__I don't understand you. _Jeralt commented, patting the girls back comfortingly. _-You're not afraid of murder, you're not afraid of death, but ghost…_ He peers down at her miniature figure, thankful that she was so short.

She mumbles something, which is muffled by his shirt. It sounds something along the lines of _they're too scary. _He chuckled a little and held her closer.

_-I'll always be here for you if you're scared kiddo. _He noticed the way she trembled in his arm and the wheeze that left her mouth. It was Byleth's way of crying, without any of the tears and actual crying.

She spoke again, this time more clearly. She questioned what to do if it isn't there, and his heart broke a little.

_-Then…_ He started off with a chuckle _-Kill it. Stab the ghost, and make sure it dies a second time._

Byleth trembled again, yet this time not from fear.

_-Okay. I will. _


	4. Reunion

**I.**

Marie snuck a few cautious glances towards the other occupant in the room. Her hands continued their furious scrubbing, but her mind was a whirlpool of thoughts.

[_-You can't keep doing this._]

Catherine's words reverberated through her thoughts, mirroring her judgements. The week after the incident (or how the other maids dubbed it: "the massacre") had consisted of wilful ignorance and strategic avoidance. The princess barely left her room, therefore dodging her prying eyes was easy, Catherine however, was a completely different story. With spies planted everywhere, it was only a matter of time before she was caught and interrogated.

A summary of the conversation comprised of Catherine telling her to "get over it" and "get back to doing your job"; there were a few more expletives when they spoke.

[_-She's just a child, albeit a bizarre child, but a child nonetheless._]

The maid could see where she as coming from. Right now, said child was staring outside. Vibrant eyes, the same colour her brilliant orange hair, were glazed over by a vastness of dimness. At times, if not for the blinking of her eyes and the puffs of her breaths, Marie wasn't sure if the girl was alive. A moment ago, those were her thoughts, before the child's body shook like she as jolted by lighting.

Marie furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

_-Princess Anthiese? _The princess did not react at first, like her name were a foreign word, before looking at Marie. _-Are you okay?_

The girl nodded before spinning her head back to its stiff position. With her familiar static voice, Anthiese mentioned she was feeling tired. Marie was far from convinced, and if the girl's statement was a coin, she would have taken it between her teeth to check its validity. However, she could not interrogate like Catherine, and even if she could, the best she could probably get would be a nod. So, she simply nodded and left the room.

When she left the room, Marie could not will herself away from the door. If anything, her actions directly contradicted the morals she had set in place as she placed her ear on the door. May the goddess Mila forgive her.

_-We're not…are we?_

It was challenging to hear the words of the child as the layers of the door muffled most of them. Marie had initially thought maybe the child was reading aloud, but as she shuffled closer it became clear what was happening. There was a pause.

Anthiese let out a pitiful apology as she fell silent. Another pause.

_-…the handkerchief?_

Anthiese questioned to no-one…the child was talking to herself.

_-I know…_

Her pauses were consistent with conversing with another person. Marie though, was certain that when she left the room, Anthiese was the only occupant.

_-I want to…home._

Home…? There was the longest pause after hr words, and Marie was certain her one-sided conversation was done.

_-Thank you…Sothis._

Sothis…?

Marie had too many questions swirling around in her head and would probably never have enough answers. Why did the princess mention home when this villa had been all she had known? Why did she mention a handkerchief? Who was Sothis? Was it an imaginary friend of hers?

That…made sense and, ugh! She wasn't going to think about this anymore, it was only going to make her head throb.

Marie had stalked off, wondering if her pity for the child was misplaced.

**II.**

Sothis was struck with an uncanny sense of deja vu when she realised her situation- more specifically the lack of a situation. The expanse of darkness that greeted her form was somewhat surprising, yet all too much familiar. Though usually a myriad of colours blinded her vision, courtesy of the locations Byleth has been allowed to travel.

She couldn't remember much about their existence; however, she could vividly remember the death of both Byleth and herself. An axe had struck them both, slickly tearing through their back, like a dagger through butter, and severing anything it collided with, including their life. The little mortal had not hesitated in sacrificing her life for another, which would be admirable if not the fact that it killed them.

A lack of power had been the cause of her dormant state, and now she had been forced to slowly absorb power from her host to retain her previous disposition. Now, that she had regained enough strength to speak to her host, she truly only felt regret.

_-[So…a ghost?] _Sothis questioned, a belligerent tone taking hold of her words. -[_You thought I was a ghost? I'm offended that you'd degrade me to that level!]_

While she didn't have a physical form, her host had gotten a new appearance. She had regained her youthful appearance, and her cobalt locks had been replaced by a bundle of ginger and her eyes followed this change closely.

Seeing an unfamiliar face speak about her disappearing handkerchief in the same tone Byleth did, made Sothis uncomfortable. The first time the now little girl had mentioned the disappearing handkerchief, she was too engrossed with other matters to question her. But now, she thought clearly about it.

_-[Maybe you misplayed the handkerchief?] _The girl shook her head in refusal, certain that wasn't the problem.

_-[You're a princess now,] _Sothis came to the next logical conclusion, _-[it could possibly be guards.] _Her idea is cut down swiftly as the girl referenced an incident with an assassin.

_-There's no ill intent._

_-[Then how about we confront this ghost of yours?]_ Sothis questioned.

Almost fondly, Byleth recounts a situation where "Catherine" (whoever that was) had given her a ghost warding charm. Since that time, the ghost hadn't been present.

_-[Don't be ridiculous.] _Sothis commented as she scanned the charm. Centred on Byleth's hair, there was a ribbon a shade lighter than her hair tied in a bow. _-[It's just a ribbon.]_

_-It works. _Byleth argued, sounding exactly like a child. Her eyebrows were furrowed ever so slightly as a tilt of her lips downward marred her face.

_-[Then, let's discard the cloth and confront this ghost of yours.] _Byleth didn't move; she refused to. Sothis attempted to motivate the child (childlike adult?) with her words. _-[I'll protect you; I won't let the ghost even look at you!] _Sothis pumped her fist ardently, her words talking physical form. As ridiculous as this situation sounded, she wouldn't allow a hair on their head to get hurt._ -[Let's go!]_

As reluctant as she was, Byleth nodded and hopped off the bed. She had always been weak to Sothis' passion.

_-[Without the ribbon!]_


	5. Confrontation

**I.**

They had been loitering suspiciously around the villa for about an hour and there was no sign of Byleth's so called ghost. Like the sweltering sun on a scorching day, Sothis' skin was burning with irritation. Even in her new body, Byleth had been as sociable as ever, saying a record of three sentences. Sothis was at her wits end.

_-[Were your words before a jest?] _Sothis questioned with her irritation peaking. She floated in front of Byleth, only for the child to phase through her translucent physique. _-[Perhaps you merely wanted to take a stroll and bring me along?]_

While she had to admit, at first, the villa's condition was pristine, after walking through identical halls for hours on end, the view had become nauseating.

_-No. _Byleth spoke.

_-[Then where is the ghost?] _The closest thing to a ghost gestured to the scenery around them. She brought attention to the lack of everything. -[_My feet are getting sore!]_

_-No. _Byleth spoke.

_-[That does not-no, I won't waste my energy with this. If we are doing this, at least converse with me.]_

After Sothis' words, Byleth questioned which topics they could converse about.

_-[Let's speak of this world. What is the name you have been given?]_

_-Byleth._ The older child groaned as the fiery fury from before was reignited.

_-[This form!] _She pointed up and down to indicate she was talking about the orange haired child. [_What do they call you?]_ When the words sunk in, Byleth's face scrunched up in confusion, as she explored the vast emptiness of her mind. With how she acted, dead fisheyes and questionable decisions, Sothis did not doubt her brain was empty.

After a few seconds, Byleth finally replied.

_-Princess Anthiese Lima_.

_-[Hoho! A princess! And of which country do you belong to?] _Again, "Anthiese" paused to fish for answers.

_-Zofia._ She added on after a beat of silence.

_-[Zo…fia. I have not heard that name before. Is there any place we can research?]_

The image of a library filtered through their shared mind and Sothis smiled.

_-[Then onward! Before my feet give way.]_

**II.**

From the depths of despair, and residing in the darkness, a small figure had sprung out and attacked him. Like a Pegasus struck by an arrow he went crashing as the smaller individual crashed into him. Cold, an object was pressed against his neck.

_-Please don't kill me! _Conrad screamed. A girly scream, one he would rather pretend had never happened. A scream so loud he was sure every solider in Regel had heard him.

_-You're not a ghost… _Anthiese commented from above him, sounding remarkably innocent for someone holding a dagger to his neck. Conrad took the moment to open his eyes, which were welling with tears, and noticed the piece of cutlery was in fact a…spoon. The princess tilted her head to replicate confusion and moved her weight off him, including the spoon.

_-Ghost! _Frantically, Conrad flinched at the mention of a ghost and spun his perched body around._ Where? _He questioned with a tremble. The reply he got was a pale finger pointing at him.

_-M-Me…? I'm not a ghost._

Anthiese frowned. She questioned why had stalked her from the shadows, why he'd whisper her name randomly and why he'd disappear if he was spotted.

_-I'm sorry! _Conrad prostrated him form in apology as he spoke louder than he had in his entire life._ -I just wanted to return this. _Clutched in his hand was the handkerchief had he retrieved near months ago. _-You gave it to me last time…thank you._

**III.**

_-[So, the problem of the missing handkerchief has been solved. You, Byleth Eisner, did indeed misplace it!] _Sothis didn't try to hide her smugness. _\- [Just as I had thought.] _Possibly due to indifference or a lack social awareness, Byleth ignored her other half's words.

_-[I do not recall.] _Near suddenly, the little boy's face fell. His already restrained excitement had been demolished.

_-Oh… _Anthiese sent him a nod signifying farewell and turned her back to the boy. The green haired girl briefly commented on his restless body language but did nothing else otherwise.

_-[That book,] _Sothis pointed at a particularly colourful book_ -[get that one.] _Passively, the girl obeyed, reaching for said book. Even on the tips of her toes, her fingers could only brush the edges of the leather cover.

As the book fell from its place, Byleth reconsidered the idea of a ghost haunting her. However, she soon noticed the very human fingers pulling the book from her place.

-_Here you go. _For the first time in this lifeline, surprise etched itself on her face, she hadn't noticed he was still here. She opened her mouth to thank him, but nothing came out. So, instead she took the book, opened it up and sat down at a table. From her peripheral, she could she Sothis' aforementioned observations in the impatient tapping of the boy.

_-[This writing,] _Sothis mused _-[I have never seen it before. I could not even begin to decipher it.]_

_-Can you read that? _The shy boy questioned from across the room, taking a few tentative steps toward her.

She shook her head, visualising her ally's previous words.

_-D…did you want help? _He stuttered, shifting his eyes between the bookshelves and chairs, and refused to make eye contact with her.

_-Ok. _Byleth nodded.

* * *

Note: **Wowie! Look at that, did y****ou guys expect that? So if you're a little confused, in chapter one: "Byleth offers a small "thank you" and a handkerchief to properly wipe his face clean.". And, due to the awakening of Sothis and Conrad's odd behaviour, she misconstrued it as a ghost! Spoopy. **

**How was this chapter? Make sure to leave some love in the comments, I appreciate them all.**


	6. Reinforce and Substantiate

**Reinforce and Substantiate**

_Author's note: Enjoy this extra-long chapter as an apology for the wait. My therapist forced me to write this chapter. I'm literally accepting the fact that my tense changes every sentence. Maybe stop writing all the dialogue first idiot. Rereading my older chapters, I feel like my work has gotten progressively worse lol._

* * *

I.

According to Conrad, as he shyly introduced himself, months aren't separated into moons like Byleth is accustomed to. While in Fodlan they split up years into twelve moons, this world has four seasons: Flostym, Avistym, Pegastym and Wyrmstym. The number of days is the equivalent to that of Fodlan, meaning each season has 91 days and, since Flostym is the first season of the year, it would be the equivalent of Great Tree Moon, Harpstring Moon and Garland Moon combined.

_-My birthday is 381 V.C, 45__th__ of Avistym! _Byleth received a tentative smile from said boy in question, the action awkward on his face.

She would be remiss if she didn't mention that each season actually had 91.5 days, which they accounted for every second year. They dubbed that year a Surge and added an additional holiday to the end of Wyrmstym.

–_What about you Anthiese? _He questions.

If that wasn't confusing enough, each season is divided into third, with the last third of each season acting as a transitionary person between seasons. Flostym is the equivalent of spring, Avistym of winter, Pegastym of summer and Wyrmstym is simply referred to as the rainy season.

_\- [I don't think anyone put more than a passing thought into this…] _Sothis commented and Byleth couldn't agree more.

Byleth shrugs.

_-I'll ask someone later._

_-[That young maid of yours would know.]_

She then chooses to change the subject by pointing at an elegant photorealistic painting of man. Adorned in high class jewellery and silk from the finest lands, a man sits upright on a throne. To him, an equally embellished woman sits.

_-Who is that?_

II.

Sothis' initial impression of Jeralt was overwhelmingly negative. Not only was he an incompetent, and crass mercenary that had no idea how to talk to a child, much less raise one. but he also practised bad hygiene. If it wasn't for her, she doubted Byleth would even know how to properly wash herself!

Byleth was the first one to challenge her perceptions of him.

It was a day like all others. Sothis yawned exaggeratedly, mouth forming a wide o shape. Unlike Byleth she didn't need to sleep and did it mostly to pass the time. However, this nap had left her feeling particularly refreshed; It was likely a placebo effect.

It didn't take long for that feeling to leave when she saw what Byleth was doing.

_\- [What are you doing?]_

The child's hands were covered in filth, dirt caked each fingernail and her face was painted with mud. Byleth raises a filthy hand to wave at her, which thankfully phases through her form.

_-Picking flowers… _Sothis sighed.

_-I can see that! _She sighed again, more irritated, and clutched her head in her hands. -_I always forget how literal you are! Allow me to rephrase, why are you picking flowers?_

_-I don't know how to describe it. _The black-haired child pauses and stares blankly at the ground she was previously digging stays silent a while longer and allows Byleth to continue talking. _-This…I feel sick._

_-If you feel sick, then what are you doing out here? _Sothis sounded like a frustrated owner scolding their pet.

_-Not that kind of sick, _Byleth points to her heart, face scrunching up comically, -_sick in here. _

Sothis' previous heated annoyance instantly cools into tentative caution.

_-Why is that Byleth? _She asks.

_-Today is mother's anniversary. _

Ah, so that was it. Both Byleth and Jeralt rarely spoke of her and Sothis just assumed she died. Her assumption was correct.

_-He…_ Byleth was never sure whether to refer to him as Jeralt or father, so she chose neither. -_said you should give flowers to the dead. He said that it will make them happy._

If she didn't know the child, Sothis would have missed the drooping of her eyes. Sothis' comparison before was incorrect, she more felt like a mother raising a child.

_-Then allow me to help! _Byleth, with no change in her expression, looks up in surprise. The question of "how?" shines behind her eyes. _-Do you recall how I dissuaded you from purchasing that hideous outfit? I highly doubt you know flower compositions, so allow me to choose which ones will compliment your family. _

Byleth stares at nothing in particular before nodding.

_-I don't know how to make him happy, so I hope I can make mother happy instead. Thank you Sothis. _

Seared permanently into her mind was the teary-eyed expression on Jeralt's face when they brought him a bundle of pink willows and Byleth's barely visible smile.

III_._

While Anthiese was infamous around the various Villas for numerous reasons, her appearance was complete speculation. While eavesdropping, he had heard his maid Yasmine describing her as a "ferocious Duma worshipper sent from Rigel". If not for the handkerchief, he would think the same. His week of observations also disproved those rumours.

Conrad is only mildly surprised that Anthiese doesn't know who Lima is.

_-King Lima… _He begins hesitantly. The king's red locks are a darker shade to Anthiese's hair and a lighter to Conrad's. Sizeable in height he is lanky man, with a defined jaw. Conrad had met the man once a year for his birthday and knew the painting was not accurate. -O_ur father. _He adds on as an afterthought.

_-Ours… _She continues on from him -_You're my brother. _She concludes decisively.

He points at an equally illustrated woman. Gray hair bordering on white, a golden headband acting as a halo and flawless skin. From personal experience, he knows her beauty was captured perfectly. A remnant of what once was.

_-That's your mother…you're exactly like her. She was nice to me…the only one._

_-Did you like her? _He nods._ -What about your mother?_

_-She was from Rigel. _Conrad points at the oddly shaped northern part of Valentia.

He begins regaling tails of Rigel. Mountain infected land, and harsh terrain rendered the land unfarmable. Without the blessing of Mother Milla, crops refused to grow and, even when they did, they lacked taste and nutrient.

He also talked about how Zofia's buildings scale horizontally, as a way exaggerate the grandness of them, while Rigel built them vertically to conserve space.

Their seasons were also opposites. Technically, since crops don't grow well, Flostym is instead regarded as the season of training and fighting. The day where all of Duma's followers prepare for a battle.

Then ends with what he should have started with.

_-Nobody likes Rigelians. _

_-Why not? _

_-Because Rigelians are war_ mongers.

_-Have you started any wars? _Conrad rapidly shakes his head in denial.

_-Then I see no reason to hate you. _Anthiese comments without missing a beat. -_You're nice. I'm sure your mother was nice as well. _

_-She was…. I miss her. _He sighs heavily._ -I wish she was here._

_-She never left. I know she's watching over you. _

IV.

For Sothis, the second time started off negative. Byleth had finally reached her teens and Jeralt was nowhere to be seen. They had taken to polishing weapons to pass the time. A somewhat familiar faces appears to their right, a huge smile plastered on his face.

_-So little lady, _a lanky man pats Byleth's head from behind her, -_I heard today is a special day for you. _Byleth stares off into the distance, face blank.

_-[Your birthday!] _Sothis reminds her.

_-Oh yeah, my birthday. _The man gives her a weird look but continues talking with his saccharine cheer.

_-Anything you're keen to get?_

_-No. _Byleth shakes her head, but it doesn't dissuade the man.

_-Nothing from a secret lover? _

_-No. _Byleth once again shakes her head.

_-What about-_

_-She's a child man. _Polishing her weapons to their left, Iwan, a more familiar face, comments. -_Stop being weird. _The attention of some of the mercenaries are caught as Iwan scolds the younger man. Some also stare at Jeralt's second in command, Cecillo.

_-Hrist. _Cecillo weighs in. -_Leave the kid alone. _Others hum in agreement.

_-Really Cecillo, you're ganging up on me? _Cecillo sighs in annoyance.

_-Nobody is ganging up on you, just leave her alone._

_-I can't be the only one who thinks this is weird. _Iwan shakes her head and mutters "not again" underneath her breath_. -No Iwan, don't act like you're not the one who brought this up. _Iwan's frown deepens and Hrist takes that as his queue to continue.

_-Don't you think it's weird that she never smiles? _

Everyone looks away, from awkwardness…or guilt?

_-And the fact that she looks nothing like captain Jeralt. _Hrist looks away, attempting to rally support from his comrades. _-We can't even be sure that she's human!_

_-Hrist, if another word about Byleth comes out of your mouth I'll-._

_-You'll what? _ Hrist interrupts him with a taunt. _You'll tell Captain? _

_-I'll beat the shit outta you! _They both begin to unsheathe their weapons, getting uncomfortably close. It's only when their noses touch does Iwan decide to step in.

_-Hey! _She steps between the men. _Relax, it's just a joke! _Cecillo glares at the two of them, chilling his anger and taking a step back.

_-I don't take too kindly to your jokes. Get out of my face._

_-Come on Hrist. _Hrist glares back at Cecillo as Iwan drags him away.

It was like Byleth wasn't even there.

_\- [Nice to see that your father keeps good company] _Sothis comments sarcastically.

Cecillo watches the pair walk away with a frown on his face.

_-Hey, don't take what he says too seriously. _Once they leave sight, he looks to Byleth and pats her on the back hard enough to make her stumble.

_-You're a bit on the weird side, but aren't we all a little weird?_

V.

_-Princess! _Anthiese jumps physically as a figure sprints into the room. She stands up, attempting to run away, but only makes it a halfway across the room before a young girl catches her. When caught, Anthiese goes still, not bothering to even struggle. _-I've been looking everywhere for you! You can't keep running away from your etiquette lessons!_

_-I didn't run, I walked. _The maid's childish face scrunches up into frustration as she physically drags the little girl out of the library.

_-We are not doing this now, so say goodbye to your friend. _They're already halfway out the door when Anthiese raises a hand and waves Conrad a half-hearted goodbye.

_-Conrad. _She calls out, no longer visible. _Thank you for reading to me. _

Shaking away his shock from witnessing a kid napping (?), Conrad briefly chases after the duo.

_-Anthiese! _He shouts. -_Can…can we meet again?_

Byleth raises her thumb up affirmatively.

VI.

Jeralt was ultimately the one who changed Sothis' opinion. Byleth was sitting outside, the two of them watching the stars. Sothis is laying down to the left of Byleth when Jeralt is holding a blanket large enough for father and son.

_-Hey kiddo. _Jeralt points to the left of Byleth, and when she shakes her head, he sits down to the right of her.

_-Hi._

_-So…how are you?_

Byleth looks at him, they share a long moment of awkward silence.

_-That's good! _Neither say anything. -_Uh, so…heard about what happened with Hrist. _

_Byleth nods. _

_-Are you okay? _He questions.

_\- Are you? _She questioned back.

He puts his hand on her short hair and ruffles it.

_-I… _His hesitation is more than enough for Sothis, who is rearing for a fight.

_-It's okay, you don't have to lie._

_-No, kid, listen-_

_-Are you happy…with me? _He doesn't answer for a long while.

_-Byleth. _He pauses for a moment, before he squishes Byleth's face between his hands. _-I want you to look at me, so you know I'm not lying. You and your mother were the greatest thing to happen to me. _

_-Do you wish mum was here? _Byleth asks.

_-Sitri never left. I know for sure that she's watching over the both of us. Travelling Fodlan with my family, wouldn't have it any other way. _He adds with an additional smirk.

_-That's good. _She leans into Jeralt and he puts his arm around her shoulder. _-That's very good._

Sothis decided that she would leave them to enjoy their night together.

VII.

Conrad had been looking for Anthiese for over an hour. The walk between each Villas was approximately fifteen minutes

_-Anthiese! _He called out, voice bouncing off the pillars and echoing through empty halls. _Anthiese, where are you? _He calls out for the nth time today. He receives no answer and calls out once again.

_-Anthiese-! Wha! _A pathetic squeak leaves his mouth as he's dragged into a random room. His reflexes are too slow to fight his attacker, and he is overwhelmed by their strength.

_-Conrad, it's me. _The voice whispers and motions for him to sit down. _-Shhh. _

He goes to speak, but Anthiese shushes him again then pulls him down.

_-Anthiese, what are you doing? _He whispers. Anthiese gestures outside.

_-I'm hiding from Catherine. _She says matter-of-factly while not elaborating further. Conrad chooses to nod in reply instead of intterogating her.

They sit in silence for a long while. Anthiese because she's wary of Catherine appearing from nowhere, and Conrad due to awkwardness.

Anthiese's sudden whisper interrupts the silence.

_-I never had a brother before. _What a weird way to phrase that…but Anthiese is a riddle, so questioning her would only lead to more questions.

_-Then you haven't met any of our siblings from the other Villas. _Anthiese confirms his suspicions with a no. _-I think the closest, minus me, are Sofia, Achim and Prem._

_-How many are there?_

_-I've met ten, but there could be more._

Anthiese looks to the side, as if she's talking to someone.

_-Promiscuous…. _She whispers under her breath.

_-You're really great Anthiese. _He realises he's said that out loud when his younger sister tilts her head in confusion. _-I mean, you're nice, you're smart…._

Again, she stares off into the void for a second, blinking before looking back at Conrad.

_-Sothis is right. You're really smart. _Sothis? He files away that thought for another day. _–You can read, that's very smart. _

_-Everyone can read. _He replies and Anthiese shakes her head.

_-I can't. _She doesn't allow Conrad to degrade himself any further. _-And you returned my handkerchief. That's nice. _She looks him straight in the eyes while saying this. -_You're really great too. _

Conrad is left speechless and all he can do is agree.

_-Thank you…_

* * *

Props to my hype man, who helped me during this excruciating process of world building.


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